U.S. patent number 7,041,965 [Application Number 10/913,748] was granted by the patent office on 2006-05-09 for vehicle interior mirror system including a rain sensor.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Donnelly Corporation. Invention is credited to Patrick Heslin, Niall R. Lynam.
United States Patent |
7,041,965 |
Heslin , et al. |
May 9, 2006 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
Vehicle interior mirror system including a rain sensor
Abstract
An interior mirror system for a vehicle comprises a housing
having an interior compartment and is adapted for releasable
mounting to an interior surface of the vehicle. A first electrical
component/accessory is disposed in the interior compartment of the
housing. A rearview mirror including a rearview mirror element and
at least a second electrical component/accessory is pivotally
connected to the housing. The first electrical component/accessory
comprises a rain sensor module manufactured separate from the
manufacturing of the rearview mirror that includes the second
electrical component/accessory. The rain sensor module is received
in the housing in a manner that connects the module electrically to
the vehicle.
Inventors: |
Heslin; Patrick (Glasnevin,
IE), Lynam; Niall R. (Holland, MI) |
Assignee: |
Donnelly Corporation (Holland,
MI)
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Family
ID: |
23720237 |
Appl.
No.: |
10/913,748 |
Filed: |
August 6, 2004 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20050006575 A1 |
Jan 13, 2005 |
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Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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10618334 |
Jul 11, 2003 |
6774356 |
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09997579 |
Nov 29, 2001 |
6593565 |
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09433467 |
Nov 4, 1999 |
6326613 |
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09003966 |
Jan 7, 1998 |
6250148 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
250/239;
250/214AL |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60R
11/0241 (20130101); B60S 1/0885 (20130101); B60R
1/04 (20130101); B60S 1/0822 (20130101); B60R
11/0247 (20130101); G02B 6/00 (20130101); B60R
1/12 (20130101); B60R 11/0217 (20130101); H04N
7/18 (20130101); B60S 1/0881 (20130101); B60R
11/02 (20130101); G02B 2027/0118 (20130101); B60R
2001/1284 (20130101); B60R 2011/0033 (20130101); B60R
2011/0026 (20130101); G02B 2027/012 (20130101); B60R
2011/0077 (20130101); B60R 2001/1253 (20130101); B60R
2001/1223 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H01J
5/02 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;250/239,214AL |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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4329983 |
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Mar 1995 |
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DE |
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29805142 |
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May 1998 |
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DE |
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19755008 |
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Jul 1999 |
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DE |
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0667254 |
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Aug 1995 |
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EP |
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0928723 |
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Jul 1999 |
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EP |
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6243543 |
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Feb 1987 |
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JP |
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WO9814974 |
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Apr 1998 |
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WO |
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WO9830415 |
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Jul 1998 |
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WO |
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WO9914088 |
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Mar 1999 |
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WO |
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WO9923828 |
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May 1999 |
|
WO |
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Other References
European Search Report dated Aug. 28, 2003, in European Application
No. EP 00 65 0114, Publication No. EP 1 097 848, published May 9,
2001. cited by other .
"Combination of rain sensing, autolamps and telephone antenna in
one module," Research Disclosure, Kenneth Mason Publications,
Hampshire, GB No. 412, Aug. 1998, p. 1045XP-000824825. cited by
other.
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Primary Examiner: Le; Que T.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Van Dyke, Gardner, Linn &
Burkhart, LLP
Parent Case Text
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.
10/618,334, filed Jul. 11, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,774,356,
entitled VEHICLE INTERIOR MIRROR ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A HOUSING
CONTAINING ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS/ACCESSORIES, which is a
continuation of Ser. No. 09/997,579, filed Nov. 29, 2001, now U.S.
Pat. No. 6,593,565, which is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 09/433,467, filed Nov. 4, 1999, now U.S. Pat.
No. 6,326,613, which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No.
09/003,966, filed Jan. 7, 1998, by Niall R. Lynam, now U.S. Pat.
No. 6,250,148, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by
reference herein.
Claims
The invention claimed is:
1. An interior mirror system for a vehicle comprising: a rearview
mirror support housing having an interior compartment and a first
pivot element, and being adapted for releasable mounting to an
interior surface of the vehicle; at least a first electrical
component/accessory in said interior compartment of said rearview
mirror support housing; a rearview mirror including a rearview
mirror element, said rearview mirror including at least a second
electrical component/accessory and a second pivot element, said
first pivot element of said rearview mirror support housing and
said second pivot element of said rearview mirror interconnecting
so that said rearview mirror pivotally connects to said rearview
mirror support housing; wherein said first electrical
component/accessory comprises a rain sensor module, said rain
sensor module manufactured separate from the manufacturing of said
rearview mirror that includes at least a said second electrical
component/accessory; and said rain sensor module received in said
rearview mirror support housing in a manner that connects said rain
sensor module electrically to the vehicle.
2. The interior mirror system of claim 1 further including
electrical wiring for electrically connecting to said rain sensor
module in said interior compartment of said rearview mirror support
housing.
3. The interior mirror system of claim 2 wherein said electrical
wiring electrically connects to said second electrical
component/accessory in said rearview mirror.
4. The interior mirror system of claim 3 wherein said electrical
wiring connects to the electrical system of the vehicle.
5. The interior mirror system of claim 3 wherein said rearview
mirror support housing includes a passageway for said electrical
wiring.
6. The interior mirror system of claim 5 wherein said first and
second interconnecting pivot elements form a pivot joint, said
electrical wiring passing through said pivot joint.
7. The interior mirror system of claim 6 wherein said rain sensor
module is adapted for viewing through the windshield of the
vehicle, said rearview mirror support housing including a front end
for releasable attachment to the interior surface of the windshield
of the vehicle.
8. The interior mirror system of claim 7 including a biasing member
which engages and biases said rain sensor module into contact with
the interior surface of the windshield.
9. The interior mirror system of claim 8 wherein said rearview
mirror support housing includes a first opening at said front end,
said first opening facing toward the windshield when said rearview
mirror support housing is attached to the interior surface of the
windshield, said biasing member biasing said rain sensor module
forwardly through said first opening into contact with the interior
surface of the windshield.
10. The interior mirror system of claim 9 wherein said rearview
mirror support housing includes an internal wall separating said
interior into first and second compartments, said rain sensor
module mounted in a first of said compartments and a compass sensor
mounted in the second of said compartments.
11. The interior mirror system of claim 10 wherein said rearview
mirror support housing includes a second opening at said rear end,
said compass sensor being accessible through said second
opening.
12. The interior mirror system of claim 11 including a cover that
mates with said rearview mirror support housing at said second
opening.
13. The interior mirror system of claim 12 wherein said cover
extends along the windshield toward the header adjacent the
windshield when in use.
14. The interior mirror system of claim 12 wherein said cover is
made of a polymeric material which snap-engages said rearview
mirror support housing at said second opening.
15. The interior mirror system of claim 11 including electrical
wiring electrically connecting said rain sensor module and said
compass sensor to an electrical system of the vehicle.
16. The interior mirror system of claim 1 further including
electrical wiring for electrically connecting to said second
electrical component/accessory in said rearview mirror.
17. The interior mirror system of claim 1 wherein said rearview
mirror support housing includes an opening to said interior
compartment and a cover mating with said rearview mirror support
housing at said opening.
18. The interior mirror system of claim 17 wherein said cover
extends along the windshield toward the header adjacent the
windshield when in use.
19. The interior mirror system of claim 1 wherein said rain sensor
module is adapted for viewing through the windshield of the vehicle
on which said rearview mirror support housing is mounted.
20. The interior mirror system of claim 19 wherein said rearview
mirror support housing includes an opening, said assembly further
including a biasing member which biases said rain sensor module
forwardly through said opening into contact with the interior
surface of the windshield of the vehicle.
21. The interior mirror system of claim 1 wherein said rearview
mirror support housing comprises a metal housing.
22. The interior mirror system of claim 21 wherein said metal
housing comprises a die cast metal housing.
23. The interior mirror system of claim 1 wherein said rearview
mirror support housing comprises a polymeric housing.
24. The interior mirror system of claim 23 wherein said polymeric
housing comprises a molded polymeric housing.
25. The interior mirror system of claim 24 wherein said molded
polymeric housing comprises a housing molded from an engineering
polymeric resin.
26. The interior mirror system of claim 25 wherein said engineering
polymeric resin comprises a filled nylon.
27. The interior mirror system of claim 1 wherein said rearview
mirror element comprises an electro-optic mirror.
28. The interior mirror system of claim 27 wherein said
electro-optic mirror comprises an electro-optic element having
front and rear plates and an electro-optic medium disposed between
said front and rear plates.
29. The interior mirror system of claim 27 wherein said rearview
mirror further comprises a compass display.
30. The interior mirror system of claim 29 wherein said compass
display is positioned to display through said electro-optic
mirror.
31. The interior mirror system of claim 29 wherein said rearview
mirror includes a chin portion and an eyebrow portion, said compass
display being positioned to display through one of said chin and
said eyebrow portions of said rearview mirror.
32. The interior mirror system of claim 31 wherein said compass
display is positioned to provide a display through said chin
portion of said rearview mirror.
33. The interior mirror system of claim 31 wherein said compass
display is positioned to provide a display through said eyebrow
portion of said rearview mirror.
34. The interior mirror system of claim 27 wherein said second
electrical component/accessory included in said rearview mirror
comprises said electro-optic mirror.
35. The interior mirror system of claim 27 wherein said rearview
mirror further comprises a compass display and wherein said second
electrical component/accessory included in said rearview mirror
comprises at least one of said electro-optic mirror and said
compass display of said rearview mirror.
36. The interior mirror system of claim 1 wherein said rearview
mirror support housing further includes a compass sensor, said
compass sensor selected from one of a magneto-resistive sensor, a
magneto-inductive sensor, a magneto-capacitive sensor, and a
flux-gate sensor.
37. The interior mirror system of claim 36 wherein said compass
sensor comprises a magneto-inductive sensor.
38. The interior mirror system of claim 36 wherein said compass
sensor comprises a magneto-resistive sensor.
39. The interior mirror system of claim 36 wherein a circuit board
bearing said compass sensor is housed in said rearview mirror
support housing.
40. The interior mirror system of claim 1 wherein said rearview
mirror support housing further includes at least one of: a) a
vehicle altitude sensor, b) a vehicle incline sensor, c) a headlamp
sensor, d) a daylight sensor, e) a geographic positioning satellite
(GPS) transmitter, f) a geographic positioning satellite (GPS)
receiver, g) an antenna, h) a camera, i) a microphone, and j) a
compass sensor.
41. The interior mirror system of claim 1 wherein said rearview
mirror support housing further includes an antenna.
42. The interior mirror system of claim 1 wherein said rearview
mirror support housing further includes a printed circuit board
bearing a compass sensor.
43. The interior mirror system of claim 1 wherein said rearview
mirror support housing includes a plurality of electrical
components/accessories comprising said rain sensor module and at
least one additional electrical component/accessory.
44. The interior mirror system of claim 43 wherein at least one of
said plurality of electrical components/accessories is adapted for
viewing through the windshield of the vehicle on which said
rearview mirror support housing is mounted, said at least one
additional electrical component/accessory comprises one of a
forwardly-viewing camera and a headlamp sensor.
45. The interior mirror system of claim 44 wherein said rearview
mirror support housing includes a front end for releasable
attachment to the interior surface of the windshield of the vehicle
and a biasing member which engages and biases said rain sensor
module into contact with the interior surface of the
windshield.
46. The interior mirror system of claim 44 wherein said rearview
mirror support housing includes an opening, said assembly further
including a biasing member which biases said rain sensor module
forwardly through said opening into contact with the interior
surface of the windshield of the vehicle.
47. The interior mirror system of claim 43 wherein said at least
one additional electrical component/accessory comprises: a) a
vehicle altitude sensor, b) a vehicle incline sensor, c) a
geographic positioning satellite (GPS) transmitter, d) a geographic
positioning satellite (GPS) receiver, e) an antenna, f) a
microphone, g) a compass sensor, h) a camera, i) a daylight sensor,
and j) a headlamp sensor.
48. The interior mirror system of claim 43 wherein said at least
one additional component/accessory comprises a forwardly-viewing
camera.
49. The interior mirror system of claim 43 wherein said at least
one additional component/accessory comprises a headlamp sensor.
50. The interior mirror system of claim 1 wherein said rain sensor
module comprises a plug that attaches to a socket of said rearview
mirror support housing, making an electrical connection
thereto.
51. The interior mirror system of claim 1 wherein said rain sensor
module comprises a socket that attaches to a plug of said rearview
mirror support housing, making an electrical connection thereto.
Description
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a vehicle interior mirror assembly.
According to the invention there is provided a vehicle interior
rearview mirror assembly comprising a housing having a front end
for releasable attachment to the interior surface of the vehicle
windshield, a rear end having connection means for adjustably
mounting a rearview mirror unit to the housing, the housing adapted
for containing a rain sensor and biasing means in use biasing the
rain sensor into contact with the interior surface of the
windshield, the housing containing at least one further electrical
component.
The invention further provides a vehicle interior rearview mirror
assembly comprising a housing having a front end for releasable
attachment to the interior surface of the vehicle windshield, a
rear end having connection means for adjustably mounting a rearview
mirror unit to the housing, the interior of the housing comprising
at least one compartment, the compartment having an opening at the
front end of the housing for facing in use towards the windshield
and, the compartment adapted for containing a rain sensor and for
biasing the rain sensor forwardly through the first opening into
contact with the interior surface of the windshield, and the
housing also containing at least one further electrical
component.
The invention further provides a vehicle interior rearview mirror
assembly comprising a housing having a front end for releasable
attachment to the interior surface of the vehicle windshield, a
rear end having connection means for adjustably mounting a rearview
mirror unit to the housing, the interior of the housing comprising
a compartment, the compartment having a first opening at the front
end of the housing for facing in use towards the windshield and the
compartment having a second opening on at least one side of the
housing, the compartment containing a rain sensor and means for
biasing the rain sensor forwardly through the first opening into
contact with the interior surface of the windshield, and the
compartment containing at least one further electrical component
accessible through the second opening
According to the present invention there is provided a vehicle
interior rearview mirror assembly comprising a housing having a
front end for releasable attachment to the interior surface of the
vehicle windshield, a rear end having connection means for mounting
a rearview mirror unit to the housing, and an internal wall
subdividing the interior of the housing into first and second
compartments, the first compartment having a first opening at the
front end of the housing for facing in use towards the windshield
and the second compartment having a second opening on at least one
side of the housing, the first compartment containing a rain sensor
and means for biasing the rain sensor forwardly through the first
opening into contact with the interior surface of the windshield,
and the second compartment containing at least one further
electrical component accessible through the second opening.
The invention further provides a vehicle interior rearview mirror
assembly comprising a housing having a front end for releasable
attachment to the interior surface of the vehicle windshield, a
rear end having connection means for releasably mounting a rearview
mirror unit to the housing, a first opening at the front end of the
housing for facing in use towards the windshield, and a second
opening on at least one side of the housing for facing in use
towards the top edge of the windshield, the housing containing a
rain sensor, means for biasing the rain sensor forwardly through
the first opening into contact with the interior surface of the
windshield, and at least one further electrical component
accessible through the second opening. The assembly further
preferably including a removable cover which mates with the housing
around the second opening and in use preferably extends along the
windshield towards the vehicle header, and electrical leads for the
rain sensor and the further electrical component which in use are
routed under the cover to the header.
The invention provides the significant advantage that a vehicle
manufacturer is provided with the possibility of optionally
including a variety of components with the rear view mirror
assembly. This possibility is made available for example during the
assembly line process where the desired components to meet a
particular specification can be included in the rear view mirror
assembly. Furthermore, the removable cover readily provides for the
functional advantage of readily incorporating a selected component
whilst at the same time providing a functionally attractive cover.
The automaker is therefore provided with the considerable advantage
of the possibility of providing a plurality of diverse options
quickly and speedily during the assembly line process.
An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of
example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of a vehicle interior mirror
assembly according to the invention attached to the interior
surface of a windshield;
FIG. 2 is a cross-section through the mirror assembly of FIG.
1;
FIG. 3 is a perspective top view of the mirror assembly;
FIG. 4 is a view of the mirror assembly of FIG. 3 looking into the
opening 18;
FIG. 5 is a view of the mirror assembly of FIG. 3 looking into the
opening 20;
FIG. 6 is a view of the mirror assembly of FIG. 3 looking from
underneath;
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the wiring cover forming part of
the mirror assembly;
FIG. 8 is a schematic view of another embodiment of vehicle
interior mirror assembly according to the invention; and
FIG. 9 is a schematic view of yet a further embodiment of a vehicle
into rear mirror assembly according to the invention.
In certain of the figures some components are omitted or shown in
dashed outline to reveal the underlying structure.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to the drawings, a vehicle interior mirror system
comprises a die cast metal housing 10 (or optionally may be formed
from a plastic moulding such as engineering polymeric resin such as
a filled nylon or the like) having a front end 12 and a rear end
14, the front end 12 being releasably attached to the interior
surface of the vehicle windshield 22 in a manner to be described.
The interior of the housing 10 is subdivided by an internal wall 16
into first and second compartments 18, 20 respectively, the first
compartment 18 having an opening 18aat the front end of the housing
10 which in use, and as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, faces towards the
windshield 22 and the second compartment having an opening 20aon
the side of the housing which in use faces towards the vehicle
header 24 at the top edge of the windshield. The front end 12 of
the housing 10 is releasably attached to the windshield 22 using an
annular mounting button, not shown, in the manner described in EP 0
928 723 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/003,966, entitled
"Rain Sensor Mount for Use in a Vehicle" to Niall R Lynam, now U.S.
Pat. No. 6,250,148, the disclosures of which are incorporated
herein by reference.
The compartment 18 contains a rain sensor 26, preferably a compact
rain sensor module available from ITT Automotive Europe GmbH of
Frankfurt, Germany. The compartment 18 preferably also contains an
arcuate steel spring finger 28 which is secured to the base of the
compartment 18 behind the rain sensor 26 and preferably serves to
bias the rain sensor 26 through the aperture in the mounting button
and the opening 18a into optical contact with the windshield 22.
Most preferably, rain sensor 26 is a module which has a cross
section diameter of at least 25 millimeters (mm), more preferably
at least 30 mm, but with a maximum diameter .ltoreq.50 mm, more
preferably .ltoreq.40 mm, and most preferably .ltoreq.35 mm.
The compartment 20 contains at least one further electrical
component which is accessible through the opening 20a. In the
present embodiment the component is a printed circuit board 30
bearing a compass sensor such as a flux gate, magnetoinductive,
magnetoresistive or magnetocapacitive sensor.
At its rear end 14 the housing 10 has an integral ball 32 for
releasably and adjustably mounting a rearview mirror unit 34 to the
housing 10 generally in conventional manner. The mirror unit 34
comprises a mirror housing 33 containing a mirror 38 which is
preferably an electro-optic mirror comprising front and rear plates
separated by a space which contains an electro-optic medium such as
an electrochromic medium allowing variation in the amount of light
transmitted through the medium by varying the strength of an
electric field applied across the medium. Alternatively a prismatic
mirror element can be used. Such mirrors are well known in the art.
The ball 32 constitutes a pivot element forming one part of a ball
and socket pivot joint, the socket 36 being another pivot element
carried by the mirror housing 33. The mirror housing is adjustable
about the ball and socket joint. Advantageously, the housing 10 is
fixedly attached to the windshield when mounted thereto. Thus,
adjustment of the mirror housing to set the field of rearward view
of the mirror reflective element therein does not effect the
position/orientation of rain sensor and any other accessory housed
in fixedly-attached housing 10. This is particularly advantageous
when the electrical accessory in housing 10 comprises a compass
sensor such as a magneto-resistive sensor, a magneto-inductive
sensor, a magneto-capacitive sensor or a flux-gate sensor. By
having the housing 10 be fixedly attached, and by having it
accommodate at least two electrical accessories (at least one of
which preferably comprises a rain sensor that is mounted in the
housing 10 so as to view through and preferably contact the
windshield inner surface, and with the rain sensor attached to the
windshield generally coaxial with the mirror unit that is
adjustable about housing 10), a compact overall interior mirror
system is provided comprising a housing accommodating a plurality
of electrical accessories, the housing fixedly and detachably
mounted to a receiving structure on the inner surface (typically a
glass surface) of the vehicle windshield and with a mirror unit
comprising a mirror support arm and a mirror housing including a
reflector element, the mirror support arm/mirror housing being
adjustable about the fixed housing (and optionally detachable
therefrom). In this manner, the housing 10 presents a minimal
footprint when viewed from outside the vehicle through the vehicle
windshield.
The assembly further includes a removable cover 40 which mates with
the housing 10 around the opening 20a and extends along the
windshield to the vehicle header 24. The cover 40, which is
longitudinally symmetric, is moulded from a resilient, polymeric or
plastics material and comprises a pair of opposite, substantially
coplanar, longitudinal side edges 42, FIG. 7, which diverge from a
relatively narrow rear end 44 of the cover 40 to a relative wide
flared front end 46. The flared front end 46 of the cover is open,
and there is also a small opening 48 at the narrow rear end 44. The
cover 40 has an internal strengthening wall 50 whose free edge 52
is recessed below the level of the edges 42. At its flared front
end the cover 40 has a pair of forward projections 54, and the
inside surface of the cover has a pair of raised ridges 56 (only
one is seen in FIG. 7) each extending along a respective side of
the cover adjacent to the front end 46.
The exterior surface of the housing 10 has a corresponding pair of
elongated grooves or depressions 58 along each side of the opening
20a, the exterior width of the housing across the opening 20a being
substantially the same as the interior width of the cover 40 across
the grooves 58.
The cover 40 is fitted to the housing 10 by first inserting the
projections 54 into a recess 60, FIGS. 2 and 5, above the opening
20a and then rotating the cover towards the windshield until the
ribs 56 snap-engage the grooves 58 (the cover 40 is sufficiently
resilient to permit this) and the edges 42 of the cover come to lie
flat against the interior surface of the windshield 22, as seen in
FIGS. 1 and 2. The cover 40 may be removed by pulling the narrow
end 44 away from the windshield until the ribs 56 disengage the
grooves 58 and then withdrawing the projection 54 from the recess
60.
The cover 40 serves a dual purpose. First, it protects the
compartment 20a and hence the component 30 against the ingress of
dust and other contaminants, yet it is easily removed to allow the
component 30 to be serviced or replaced, if necessary after
removing the mirror unit 34. Secondly, it provides a conduit for
electrical leads 62, 64 and 66 respectively from the rain sensor
26, component 30 and (if fitted) the electro-optic or other
electrically operated mirror 38.
As seen in FIG. 1, these leads are routed under the cover 40 and
through the opening 48 at the rear end 44 of the cover into the
vehicle header 24 where they are connected into the vehicle
electrical system.
As clearly shown in FIG. 2, the ball joint 32 includes a passageway
or a conduit through which can pass the electrical leads connecting
to a component such as a eletrochromic mirror element 38 or compass
display in the mirror head 34. In particular, there is shown a lead
68 connected to a compass display 70 which displays through the
mirror element. Alternatively, the display 70 can be located at
other positions in the interior rear view mirror assembly, such as
in a chin portion or in an eyebrow portion.
Optionally, the removable cover includes at least one opening 100
or port through which a pointed object such as the tip of a ball
point pen or a needle or the like can be inserted to activate
switches on a PCB located in one of the compartments. Thus, for
example, the zone and/or the calibration of a compass PCB can be
adjusted without the necessity to remove the removable cover.
Also, a camera may be located on the assembly for example on the
housing, or mirror unit or cover and arranged to look either
forwardly or rearwardly in terms of the direction of motion of the
vehicle, or in another desired direction. In FIGS. 8 and 9 there is
shown schematic views of other embodiments of the invention. Thus,
in FIG. 8 there is shown the housing 10 containing a rain sensor 26
and another electrical component for example a printed circuit
board of a compass sensor 30, with the housing attached to the
vehicle windshield 22. The mirror unit 34 is adjustably attached to
the housing 10 by a double ball adjustable mirror support arm
101.
In FIG. 9, the mirror support arm 101 is attached to a mirror
assembly mount 102. The housing 10 also comprises a mirror assembly
mount button 103 which may be fixed to the housing 10 or integrally
formed therewith. The mount 102 is detachably attached to the
mirror assembly mount button 103.
Although the component 30 has been described as a compass sensor
PCB, it can be any of a number of sensors or circuits which can be
made small enough to fit in the compartment 20. Preferably,
component 30 is provided as a unitary module that is received
within compartment 20. Most preferably, component 30 is
electrically connected with the electric/electronic wiring provided
to the rear view mirror assembly. Thus, an electronic accessory can
be provided as a module, can be inserted and received in the rear
view mirror assembly, and can make electrical connection (such as
by a plug and socket to the rear view mirror assembly). This
facilitates and enables the manufacture and supply of the rear view
mirror assembly, by a mirror assembly manufacturer, to a vehicle
assembly line, and the separate manufacture and supply of the
electrical/electronic module to that vehicle assembly line, with
the automaker conveniently inserting the electric/electronic module
into the compartment of the rear view mirror assembly when the rear
view mirror assembly is being mounted on a vehicle passing down a
vehicle assembly line.
For example, the compartment 20 may contain a sensor or sensors for
vehicle altitude and/or incline, seat occupancy or air bag
activation enable/disable, or (if a viewing aperture is made in the
housing 10) photosensors for headlamp intensity/daylight intensity
measurement. Alternatively, the compartment 20 may contain a
transmitter and/or receiver, along with any associated sensors, for
geographic positioning satellite (GPS) systems, pagers, cellular
phone systems, ONSTAR.TM. wireless communication, systems, vehicle
speed governors, security systems, fire monitoring systems, remote
fueling systems where vehicle fueling and/or payment/charging for
fuel is remotely achieved, remote keyless entry systems, garage
and/or security door opener systems, INTERNET interfaces, vehicle
tracking systems, remote car door unlock systems, e-mail systems,
toll booth interactions systems, highway information systems,
traffic warning systems, home access systems, garage door openers
and the like. Of course, any of the above may be mounted under the
cover 40, in addition to the component 30 in the compartment
20.
Where the component 30 is a transmitter or receiver, or where a
further component mounted under the cover 40 is a transmitter or
receiver, the cover 40 may include an associated antenna. The
antenna may mounted as a separate item under the cover 40, or the
cover itself may serve as the antenna, being either coated with a
layer of conductive material or moulded from a conductive plastics
material.
Also, a photosensor may be included in a compartment of the
housing, preferably a skyward facing photosensor that views skyward
through the vehicle windshield for the purpose of providing
automatic headlamp activation/deactivation at dusk/dawn. Also, the
housing may include a single microphone or a plurality of
microphones for detecting vocal inputs from vehicle occupants for
the purpose of cellular phone wireless communication.
Most preferably such microphones provide input to an audio system
that transmits and communicates wirelessly with a remote
transceiver, preferably in voice recognition mode. Such systems are
described in commonly assigned, U.S. patent application Ser. No.
09/382,720, filed Aug. 25, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,243,003, the
disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.
In this regard it may be desirable to use audio processing
techniques such as digital sound processing to ensure that vocal
inputs to the vehicular audio system are clearly distinguished from
cabin ambient noise such as from wind noise, HVAC, and the
like.
Preferably the housing includes an analog to digital converter and
or a digital analog converter for the purpose of converting the
analog output of the microphone to a digital signal for input to a
digital sound processor and for conversion of the digital output of
a digital sound processor to an analog signal for wireless
transmission to a remote transceiver.
The housing may include a variety of information displays such as a
PSIR (Passenger Side Inflatable Restraint) display, an SIR
(Side-Airbag Inflatable Restraint), compass/temperature display, a
tire pressure status display or other desirable displays, such as
those described in commonly assigned, U.S. patent application Ser.
No. 09/244,726, filed Feb. 5, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,172,613,
the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference
herein.
For example, the interior rearview mirror assembly may include a
display of the speed limit applicable to the location where the
vehicle is travelling. Conventionally, speed limits are posted as a
fixed limit (for example, 45 MPH) that is read by the vehicle
driver upon passing a sign. As an improvement to this, an
information display (preferably an alphanumerical display and more
preferably, a reconfigurable display) can be provided within the
vehicle cabin, readable by the driver, that displays the speed
limit at whatever location on the road/highway the vehicle actually
is at any moment. For example, existing speed limit signs could be
enhanced to include a transmitter that broadcasts a local speed
limit signal, such signal being received by an in-vehicle receiver
and displayed to the driver. The speed limit signal can be
transmitted by a variety of wireless transmission methods, such as
radio transmission, and such systems can benefit from wireless
transmission protocols and standards, such as the BLUETOOTH
low-cost, low-power radio based cable replacement or wireless link
based on short-range radio-based technology. Preferably, the
in-vehicle receiver is located at and/or the display of local speed
limit is displayed at the interior mirror assembly (for example, a
speed limit display can be located in a chin or eyebrow portion of
the mirror case, such as in the mirror reflector itself, such as in
the cover 40, or such as in a pod attached to the interior mirror
assembly). More preferably, the actual speed of the vehicle can be
displayed simultaneously with and beside the local speed limit
in-vehicle display and/or the difference or excess thereto can be
displayed. Optionally, the wireless-based speed limit transmission
system can actually control the speed at which a subject vehicle
travels in a certain location (such as by controlling an engine
governor or the like). Thus, a school zone speed limit can be
enforced by transmission of a speed-limiting signal into the
vehicle. Likewise, different speed limits for the same stretch of
highway can be set for different classes of vehicles. The system
may also require driver identification and then set individual
speed limits for individual drivers reflecting their skill level,
age, driving record and the like. Moreover, a global positioning
system (GPS) can be used to locate a specific vehicle, calculate
its velocity on the highway, verify what the allowed speed limit is
at that specific moment on that specific stretch of highway,
transmit that specific speed limit to the vehicle for display
(preferably at the interior rearview mirror that the driver
constantly looks at as part of the driving task) and optionally
alert the driver or retard the driver's ability to exceed the speed
limit as deemed appropriate. A short-range, local communication
system such as envisaged in the BLUETOOTH protocol finds broad
utility in vehicular applications, and particularly where
information is to be displayed at the interior mirror assembly, or
where a microphone or user-interface (such as buttons to
connect/interact with a remote wireless receiver) is to be located
at the interior (or exterior) rearview mirror assembly. For
example, a train approaching a railway crossing may transmit a
wireless signal such as a radio signal (using the BLUETOOTH
protocol or another protocol) and that signal may be received by
and/or displayed at the interior mirror system (or the exterior
sideview mirror assembly). Also, the interior rearview mirror
and/or the exterior side view mirrors can function as
transceivers/display locations/interface locations for intelligent
vehicle highway systems, using protocols such as the BLUETOOTH
protocol. Protocols such as BLUETOOTH, as known in the
telecommunications art, can facilitate voice/data, voice over data,
digital and analogue communication and vehicle/external wireless
connectivity, preferably using the interior and/or exterior mirror
assemblies as transceiver/display/user-interaction sites.
Electronic accessories to achieve the above can be accommodated in
housing 10, and/or elsewhere in the interior mirror assembly (such
as in the mirror housing). Examples of such electronic accessories
include in-vehicle computers, personal organizers/palm computers
such as the Palm Pilot.TM. personal display accessory (PDA),
cellular phones and pagers, remote transaction interfaces/systems
such as described in commonly assigned, U.S. patent application
Ser. No. 09/057,428, filed Apr. 8, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No.
6,158,655, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by
reference herein, automatic toll booth payment systems, GPS
systems, e-mail receivers/displays, a videophone, vehicle security
systems, digital radio station transmission to the vehicle by
wireless communication as an alternate to having an in-vehicle
dedicated conventional radio receiver, traffic/weather broadcast to
the vehicle, preferably digitally, and audio play and/or video
display thereof in the vehicle, most preferably at the interior
rearview mirror, highway hazard warning systems and the like.
The information display at the interior rearview mirror assembly
(such as at the mirror housing or viewable in the mirror reflector)
may be formed using electronic ink technology and can be
reconfigurable. Examples of electronic ink technology include small
plastic capsules or microcapsules, typically 1/10 of a millimeter
across or thereabouts, that are filled with a dark ink and that
have in that ink white particles which carry a charge such as a
positive charge. Electrodes place an electric field across the
capsules and the electric field can attract or repel the charged
particles in the capsules. If the white particle is attracted to
the top of a capsule so that it is closest to a viewer, the display
element/pixel appears white to the viewer. If the white particle is
attracted to the bottom of the capsule (away from the viewer), the
display element/pixel appears dark as the viewer now sees the dark
ink in the capsule. Such displays are available from E Ink of
Cambridge, Mass. Such electronic ink displays have the advantage of
forming text or graphics that, once formed, do not disappear when
the display powering voltage is disconnected (i.e. they have a long
display memory). Alternately, GYRICON.TM. electronic ink technology
developed by XEROX Corporation can be used. Here, microbeads are
used that are black (or another dark color) on one side and white
(or another light color) on the other side. The beads are dipolar
in that one hemisphere carries a stronger (and hence different)
charge than the opposing other hemisphere. The beads are small
(about 1/10.sup.th of a millimeter diameter) and turn or flip when
placed in an electric field, with the respective poles of the
dipolar beads being attracted to the corresponding polarity of the
applied electric field. Thus, a white pixel or a black pixel can be
electrically written. Once the bead has turned or flipped, it
remains turned or flipped unless an electric potential of the
opposite polarity is applied. Thus, the display has memory.
Other types of information displays can be used at the interior
mirror location. For example, a field-emission display such as the
field-emission display available from Candescent Technologies of
San Jose, Calif. can be used. Field-emission displays include a
plurality of charge emitting sources or guns that bombard a
phosphor screen. For example, a myriad of small or microscopic
cones (<1 micron tall, for example and made of a metal such as
molybdenum) are placed about a millimeter from phosphors on a
screen. The cones emit electrons from their tips or apexes to
bombard the phosphors under an applied electric field. This
technology is adaptable to provide thin display screens (such as
less than 10 mm or so). Alternately, field-emission displays can be
made using carbon nanotubes which are cylindrical versions of
buckminsterfullerene, and available from Motorola. Such
field-emission displays are particularly useful for video displays
as they have high brightness and good contrast ratio, even under
high ambient lighting conditions such as in a vehicle cabin by day.
Such displays can be located at the interior rearview mirror,
preferably, or optionally elsewhere in the vehicle cabin such as in
the dash, in the windshield header at the top interior edge of the
windshield, in a seat back, or the like.
A further advantage of providing a housing 10 which accommodates
multiple electrical accessories, preferably in individual
compartments, is that incorporation of optional accessories into a
specific vehicle is facilitated. It also facilitates supply of the
housing 10 and associated mirror unit by a mirror manufacturer and
supply of at least one of the electrical accessories by a second,
different accessory manufacturer, and with the automaker placing
the at least one electrical accessory into the housing 10 at the
vehicle assembly plant, preferably at the vehicle assembly line.
Thus, for example, an interior mirror assembly can be manufactured
by a mirror supplier that includes housing 10, compartments 18 and
20 (or, optionally, more compartments), printed circuit board 30
(such as a compass sensor printed circuit board) in compartment 20
but with compartment 18 empty, removable cover 40, a mirror support
arm articulating about housing 20, a mirror housing or case
supported on said support arm, a reflector element in said mirror
housing (preferably an electrochromic mirror element which includes
an information display such as of compass direction and/or
temperature displaying through said mirror element as is known in
the mirror arts). A rain sensor module can be made by a separate
manufacturer. The rain sensor module and the interior mirror
assembly can be shipped to a vehicle assembly plant (or local to
it). Then, when a particular vehicle requires a rains sensor
module, the vehicle manufacturer can place the rain sensor module
into compartment 18, connect the rain sensor module to the wire
harness provided to mirror assembly (preferably, the rain sensor
module docks into compartment 18 in a manner that connects it
electrically to the vehicle or alternatively, the rain sensor
module includes a plug or socket that connects to a corresponding
socket or plug already provided in housing 10 (or elsewhere on the
interior mirror assembly). This allows "plug & play"
accommodation of multiple accessories into the interior rearview
mirror assembly. Also, the interior rearview mirror assembly may be
shipped to the assembly plant with both compartments 18 and 20
empty, thus allowing, for example, the automaker to solely place a
rain sensor module into compartment 18 but add no further accessory
into compartment 20.
The invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein
which may be modified or varied without departing from the scope of
the invention.
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